LCCI demands ban on maize export

Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Tuesday demanded of the government to impose a complete ban on export of maize, which is being used in many parts of the country as staple food. LCCI President Mohammad Ali Mian the export of maize might further increase the wheat prices to ensure food security, which was the issue of whole nation instead of a single sector or any individual.
On the one hand, ban on maize export would ensure food to all while on the other it would help ensure the availability of chicken meat to the masses at affordable prices, he said. Further the ban would help stabilise the prices of poultry feed, he said.
It may be mentioned that the total production of maize in Pakistan is 3.08 million tons against a requirement of 4.28 million tons. The LCCI President said that the poultry sector immediately needs government patronage for its revival, as it had already suffered heavy losses due to bird flu scare and now the shortage of grains would add fuel to fire.
He said that about 15 million people were engaged directly or indirectly with the poultry sector and the present investment in this sector was around Rs 200 billion. "Therefore, it is prime duty of the government to take extra care of this important sector," he said.
He said the poultry sector was a permanent in-house consumer of maize for many years. "If poultry sector cannot keep its present size and future growth, the growers of maize will be facing a very difficult situation in marketing their product as the international market is not reliable at all times.
"If prices of feed ingredients become equal or higher than the international prices, it will result into high cost of production, causing chicken meat prices to go as high as in other countries," he said. He emphasised that if immediate ban were not imposed on the export of maize, prices of maize would increase substantially, thus increasing the prices of poultry feed and hampering the production of chicken and eggs.
He also feared closure of many poultry farms due to high prices of chicken meat and eggs, resultantly the price of mutton, beef and pulses would also rise to unprecedented level.